Because I think it was perhaps a liquid of sorts but not necessarily wate.
2006-10-02 00:25:31 · 7 answers · asked by Brettski 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The evidence is not only geological (canyons being formed), it's chemical evidence as well.
The hematite (iron oxide) could only be formed by the presence of water.
2006-10-02 00:33:37 · answer #1 · answered by The ~Muffin~ Man 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of the canyons on Mars appear to be caused by water long in the past. Just like some canyons on Earth were caused by water.
The point it, scientist can tell by appearance and composition what caused the canyons.
That is not to say that Mars had a world wide flood. Just that it had, in the past, flowing water.
That earth did not have a global flood is an observation based on the evidence. It could have happened, it just appears that it did not.
2006-10-03 07:04:50 · answer #2 · answered by RjKardo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No planetary geologist I know of is saying Valles Marineris was created by water. They are saying other features were carved by water, but you are right, it could have been another fluid. But pressures and temperatures on Mars are not right to allow any other substance to exist as a fluid. Only trouble is, conditions on Mars today do not allow water to exist as a fluid either. But of all substances than could be fluid, Mars conditions are closer to allowing fluid water than they are to something like fluid methane or fluid carbon dioxide. So 99% of the scientists are proposing water as the fluid that carved the sinuous channels.
2006-10-02 09:00:29 · answer #3 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The walls of the canyons may have been thrust upwardly by the compression and movement of the planet's crust. Chemical reactions on a planet with a different atmosphere and amout of compression may not have occurred in the same manner as they did on earth.
2006-10-02 12:45:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It probably was water. The Martian polar caps are comprised of both water ice and carbon dioxide ice (colloquially called dry ice). You can actually see changes in the size of the caps as the dry ice melts and leaves the water ice behind (this is because dry ice melts at a lower temperature - and the poles never get warm enough to melt water ice)
2006-10-02 14:33:57 · answer #5 · answered by Andrew W 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What I find amusing, is that scientist say that Mars once suffered from a global (or near-global) flood... and yet, there is not a trace of liquid water there. Earth is 3/4 water, and scientists say that a global flood here in the past is impossible.
Go figure.
2006-10-02 08:52:44 · answer #6 · answered by seraphim_pwns_u 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No, I don't think so. More likely, they're formations from meteorite impact craters and sedimentation brought by the turbulent Martian atmosphere.
2006-10-02 07:37:55 · answer #7 · answered by airjordz 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋